Barrel retainer for shotguns

ABSTRACT

Shotgun barrel retainer in which the barrel is pivotable about a hinge pin supported by the laterally spaced arm portions of the gun frame by means of a depending barrel lug disposed between the arms of the frame and having a semi-cylindrical recess engaged with the forward portion of the hinge pin. A coil spring urges the barrel outwardly to maintain the barrel lug firmly engaged with the hinge pin having at one end a shoe or saddle member engaged with the cylindrical surface of the hinge pin opposite the barrel lug and being compressible between the hinge pin and a second barrel lug toward the fore-end of the barrel. A resilient leaf spring is carried on the hinge pin and is disposed between the frame and the barrel lug. The leaf spring, in combination with the coil spring and shoe member, serves to retain the barrel in fixed position on the frame and prevents undesirable relative motion therebetween when the barrel is pivoted to an open position.

May 22, 1973 BARREL RETAINER FOR SHOTGUNS Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt Assistant ExaminerC. T. Jordan [75] Inventors: Edward M. Stark, East Longmeadow; Louis Elkas g Attorney Chapm, Neal and Dempsey both of Mass. [57] ABSTRACT [73] Asslgnee: 2 Corporatmn Bloomfield Shotgun barrel retainer in whieh the barrel is pivotable about a hinge pin supported by the laterally spaced 22 F] d: I 12 1971 arm portions of the gun frame by means of a depend- I l e y ing barrel lug disposed between the arms of the frame PP N05 161,736 and having a semi-cylindrical recess engaged with the forward portion of the hinge pin. A coil spring urges 52 us. Cl. ..42/75 I) the barrel eutwetdly maintain the barrel lug firmly 511 int. Cl ..F41c 27/00, F4lc 7/00 engaged with the hinge P having at end a thee 58 Field of Search ..42/75 D 40 or Saddle member engaged with the cylindrical sutfeee of the hinge pin opposite the barrel lug and being compressible between the hinge pin and a second bar- [56] References Cited rel lug toward the fore-end of the barrel. A resilient leaf spring is carried on the hinge pin and is disposed UNITED STATES PATENTS between the frame and the barrel lug. The leaf spring, 196,781 ll/l877 Bovy ..42/7s D in combination with the coil p g and Shoe member, 278,423 5/1883 Fox ..42/75D serves to retain the barrel in fixed position on the 1,029,374 6/1912 Kremer ..42/75 D frame and prevents undesirable relative motion therebetween when the barrel is pivoted to an open position.

9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures l i/ l 5 3 5 2 Z L I l BARREL RETAINER FOR SHOTGUNS BACKGROUND Conventional barrel retainers for shotguns include what is generally known as a fore-end iron which comprises a generally T-shaped casting secured in the foreend of the gun and carries a spring loaded latching element engageable with the fore-end barrel lug to latch the fore-end in place. At its inner end, the fore-end iron has a semi-cylindrical concave configuration which abuts in surface-to-surface relationship with the corresponding convex configuration of the outer end of the frame. This engagement of the fore-end iron and frame extends across the entire width of the frame and serves to hold the barrel when open against any undesirable looseness or wobble. While constructions of this type have adequately performed their intended function, it has been found that they unnecessarily increase the manufacturing cost of shotguns.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a barrel retainer for shotguns having novel constructional characteristics which result in substantial manufacturing economies.

The above and other objects of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following description and drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a partial perspective view showing a double barrel shotgun of the type embodying this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the gun shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view showing a portion of the frame of the gun;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view, partly in section, of the shotgun of FIG. 1 in which the barrel is shown in a closed condition;

FIG. 5 is a section taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view showing a portion of the barrel retainer of the gun.

In FIG. 1 is shown a double barrel shotgun 8 composed of the double barrel portion 6 and frame 10 which extends forwardly from a stock 12. The frame includes a pair of laterally spaced arm portions 14 and 16 with a hinge pin 18 secured to the frame extending across the space between the two arm portions 14 and 16. The barrel section 6 is provided with a downwardly depending block or barrel lug 20 which has a concave, semi-cylindrical recess 22 (FIGS. 2 and 4) engaged in surface-to-surface contact with the rear surface portion of the hinge pin 18 for pivotable movement thereabout.

In accordance with this invention, means is provided for retaining the barrel in assembled and pivotable relationship relative to the frame 10. As best shown in FIGS. 4-6, the retaining means comprises a shoe or saddle member 24 which is provided with a semicylindrical recess 26 facing toward the recess 22 of the barrel lug 20 and together therewith encompasses the major portion of the circumference of hinge pin 18. As shown, the upper end portion of the shoe 24 is generally wedge shaped and serves in the usual manner as an ejector for retraction of spent shotgun shells from the gun barrels.

The barrel section 6 is urged forwardly so that the cylindrical surface 22 of the lug 20 is held firmly in contact with the hinge pin 18. This is accomplished by means of a coil spring 28 telescoped over rod 30, the inner end of which has a sleeve portion 31 of substantially larger diameter than the portion within the spring,

thus providing a shoulder against which the inner end of the spring 28' is seated. A tip 32 having a generally rounded or spherical outer end extends from the outer end of the sleeve 31 and fits into a generally spherical recess provided in the outer surface of the shoe 24 so that the shoe may pivot in a vertical plane relative to the hinge pin 18 and thus operate as an ejector. The outer end of the rod 30 fits into the bore 35 of a bushing or cap 36. A projection or tip 38' extends from the outer end of the bushing into a bore provided in the rearwardly facing end surface of a fore-end lug 40 which is affixed between the two gun barrels.

Whenever the barrel section is pivoted from its closed position toward its open position, the spring 30 is compressed between the fore-end lug 40 and the shoe or saddle 24, thereby in effect tensioning the barrel by urging it outwardly of the frame with thelug 20 held against the after surface of the hinge pin 18. With continued barrel rotation toward its fully open position, the outer end of the pin 30 may engage the bottom of the bore 35, thus serving as a limit stop for the barrel.

As the barrel opens, the extractor (not shown) is moved rearwardly by the wedge-shaped, upper end of the shoe 24 caused by relative movement of the barrel and shoe 24. The shoe thus serves a dual function as both ejector and barrel retaining component.

As best seen in FIG. 6, the cylindrical surface of the shoe 24 engages the forward portion of the pin 18 across substantially its entire length, between the frame portions 14 and 16. Suitable clearance is provided to permit free relative movement between the barrel lug 20 and the frame 10. A leaf spring or take-up member 42 is provided to eliminate any wobble or undesirable longitudinal rotation of the barrel relative to the frame. The spring or take-up member 42 has a hole 44 (FIG. 3) which fits about hinge pin 18. The adjacent arm portion 16 of the frame is recessed as at 45 to accommodate the thickness of spring 42. The spring is generally a flat spring metal plate having an external configuration which conforms to the shape of the frame 20, as best shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. In the embodiment shown, the member 42 includes a generally curved or arcuate leg 46 and a planar leg 48' (FIG. 3) which terminate at a central cutout 49. More or less barrel tensioning can be obtained by making the arcuate leg wider or narrower relative to the flat or planar leg 48. As shown, the arcuate leg is convexly curved toward the barrel lug 20 so as to engage the lug throughout its path of travel as the gun barrel is swung to and from its open positions. The leaf spring 42, shoe 24, lug 20, and coil spring 28 serve cooperatively to retain the barrel in place on the gun frame 20 and to prevent any undesirable longitudinal movement or wobble of the open barrel relative to the gun frame.

While this invention is illustrated as used in a double barrel shotgun, it will be realized by those skilled in the art that it is also applicable for use with a single barrel gun. In such a gun, the fore-end iron engages the hinge pin between the arms of the frame and any undesirable longitudinal movement can be eliminated by the use of a leaf spring of the type illustrated at 42 in the drawmgs.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed l. Retainer for shotguns having a frame and a barrel which is pivotable about a hinge pin supported by the frame comprising a barrel lug engaged with the after circumferential portion of said hinge pin, means urging said barrel outwardly of the frame and including a saddle member engaged with the outer circumferential portion of said hinge pin opposite the barrel lug, and a resilient leaf spring including a curved portion disposed between said frame and the barrel lug.

2. Retainer for shotguns as set forth in claim 1, in which said saddle member is pivotable about said hinge pin and includes an upper portion which serves as an ejector for the shotgun.

3. Retainer for shotguns as set forth in claim 2 in which said leaf spring is disposed on said hinge pin.

4. Retainer for shotguns having a frame and a barrel which is pivotable about a hinge pin supported by the frame comprising a barrel lug having a semi-cylindrical recess engaged with the after circumferential portion of said hinge pin, means urging said barrel outwardly of the frame to hold said recess in surface-to-surface contact with said pin and including a coil spring compressible between said hinge pin and a second lug toward the fore-end of said barrel, said means including a pivotable saddle engaged with the outer circumferential portion of said pin opposite the barrel lug, and a resilient leaf spring disposed on said hinge pin and including a curved portion between said frame and barrel lug.

5. Retainer for shotguns as set forth in claim 4, in

which said coil spring is telescoped on a rod which at one end is engaged with the saddle urging the same into engagement with said hinge pin, said coil spring being compressible between said saddle and a fore-end lug depending from the gun barrel.

6. Retainer for shotguns as set forth in claim 4, in which said leaf spring includes a plurality of leg portions one of which is curved and disposed between the barrel lug and frame to tension the same during pivotable movement of the barrel between its open end closed positions.

7. Retainer for shotguns as set forth in claim 6, in which said frame is recessed with said leaf spring disposed therein with the curved portion extending sufficiently from the recess to tension the pivotable connection between the barrel lug and frame.

8. Retainer for shotguns as set forth in claim 7, in which said curved portion of the leaf spring is convexly curved toward the barrel lug.

9. Retainer for shotguns having a frame and a barrel which is pivotable about a hinge pin supported by the frame comprising a barrel lug engaged with the after circumferential portion of the hinge pin and a resilient leaf spring including a curved portion disposed be tween the frame and said barrel lug. 

1. Retainer for shotguns having a frame and a barrel which is pivotable about a hinge pin supported by the frame comprising a barrel lug engaged with the after circumferential portion of said hinge pin, means urging said barrel outwardly of the frame and including a saddle member engaged with the outer circumferential portion of said hinge pin opposite the barrel lug, and a resilient leaf spring including a curved portion disposed between said frame and the barrel lug.
 2. Retainer for shotguns as set forth in claim 1, in which said saddle member is pivotable about said hinge pin and includes an upper portion which serves as an ejector for the shotgun.
 3. Retainer for shotguns as set forth in claim 2 in which said leaf spring is disposed on said hinge pin.
 4. Retainer for shotguns having a frame and a barrel which is pivotable about a hinge pin supported by the frame comprising a barrel lug having a semi-cylindrical recess engaged with the after circumferential portion of said hinge pin, means urging said barrel outwardly of the frame to hold said recess in surface-to-surface contact with said pin and including a coil spring compressible between said hinge pin and a second lug toward the fore-end of said barrel, said means including a pivotable saddle engaged with the outer circumferential portion of said pin opposite the barrel lug, and a resilient leaf spring disposed on said hinge pin and including a curved portion between said frame and barrel lug.
 5. Retainer for shotguns as set forth in claim 4, in which said coil spring is telescoped on a rod which at one end is engaged with the saddle urging the same into engagement with said hinge pin, said coil spring being compressible between said saddle and a fore-end lug depending from the gun barrel.
 6. Retainer for shotguns as set forth in claim 4, in which said leaf spring includes a plurality of leg portions one of which is curved and disposed between the barrel lug and frame to tension the same during pivotable movement of the barrel between its open end closed positions.
 7. Retainer for shotguns as set forth in claim 6, in which said frame is recessed with said leaf spring disposed therein with the curved portion extending sufficiently from the recess to tension the pivotable connection between the barrel lug and frame.
 8. Retainer for shotguns as set forth in claim 7, in which said curved portion of the leaf spring is convexly curved toward the barrel lug.
 9. Retainer for shotguns having a frame and a barrel which is pivotable about a hinge pin supported by the frame comprising a barrel lug engaged with the after circumferential portion of the hinge pin and a resilient leaf spring including a curved portion disposed between the frame and said barrel lug. 